Time-ball apparatus.



Patented Dec. 2; I902.

v No. 75,230.

A. L. WOODWDRTH.

THIE BALL APPARATUS.

(Application filed Kev. 27, 1901.)

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No. 715,230. Patented Dec.,2, 902. A. L. WOBQW'GRTH.

TIME BALL APPARATUS.

(AppXicaLiou filed NOV. 27, 1901.]

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Patented Dec. 2. 1902.

' A. L. WOODWORTH.

TH'flE BALL APPARATUS.

{Apivlinatiun filed Nov. 27, 1901.

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(NoModeL) l gyfa' Pa'tented Dec. 2. 1902. A. L. WUODWORTH.

TIME BALL APPARATUS.

{Application filed Nov. 27, 1801.!

4 Sheets-3heet 4.

UNITED STATES FFICE- ALBERT L. VVOODlVORTI-I, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA,.ASSIGNOR TO T. V. GODWIN d2: CO.,--OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, ACOPARTNERSHIP.

. TiME-BALL APPARATUS.

$PEQIFICATION fanning part of Letters Patent No. 5,230, dated December2, 1902. Application filed November 27. 1901. Serial No. 83,894. (inmodel- To ctZZ whom, it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT L. 700D-WOR'IH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in thecounty of Norfolkand 5 State of Virginia, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Time-Ball Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a time-ball apparatus, and its objects andadvantages will be 10 set forth at length in the following description,'while the novelty thereof will form the basis of the claims appended tosuch description.

The said invention includes certain pecul- 15 iarities which are shownin simple and convenient embodiments thereof in theaccompanyingdrawings,formingapart of this specification, and in which-Figure l is a front elevation of a time-ball apparatus including myimprovements and with a portion of the shelter-house broken away. Fig. 2is a sectional front elevation of the housing or casing for the ball,the latter being shown therein. Fig. 3 lead inside face view of a gableof the ball housing or casing. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a portionof the framing of the ball-housing. Fig. 5 is an under side View of theshutters for the ballhousing. the ball-housing. Fig. 7 is a similar viewof an adjusting means for the ball staff or mast. Fig. 8 is alongitudinal central section of the staff or mast, taken at the jointbetween its respective sect-ions. Fig. 9 is a crosssection of saidstaff. Fig. 10 is a central vertical section of a ball. Fig. 11 isa-plan of the top of such ball. Fig. 12 is a similar view of a hood.Fig. 13 is a longitudinal central sectional elevation of the hood,sheavehead, and upper portion of the staif, together with certaincoacting parts. Fig. 14 is 'a side elevation of the sheave-head. Fig. 15is a plan view of one of the superposed rings of the time-ball. Fig. 16is a cross-section of a brace of the ball.

I desire to state at this point that the invention is in no wise limitedto the precise parts nor to their arrangements in the manner hereinafterset forth, for many changes may be made within the scope of my claimsand that certain of the terms employed are Fig. 6 is a sectional planview ofto be used in their generic sense to embrace equivalent elementsor structures.

' i The apparat'usisgenerally mounted at some height, so that thewball'as it drops to indicate a certain time may be perceived over alarge territory, and in the present case it is shown as mounted on theroof 2 of a building. Said apparatus includes in its organization ashelter-house, as 3, mounted on the roof 2 and suitably secured thereto,and this shelter-house is adapted to contain the mechanism forcontrolling the raising and dropping of .the time-indicating ball, andsuch mechanism will be hereinafter briefly described.

The staff or mast upon which the time-indicating ball is slidable isdenoted by 4, and it is vertically disposed, it passing centrally, orsubstantially so, through the top or roof of the shelter-house 3, andsaid staff or mast may be of any desired height, and its lower end isshown as being about midway of the height of the shelter-house, so thatadjusting means for centering the stalf are thereby rendered accessible.

The mast or staff in the present case is tobular or hollow, and itisshown asconsisting of a plurality of sections, as 5 and 6,suitablyconnected to each other, so as to form, in effeet, a unitary structure..It will be seen that two of such sections are provided; but this numbermay be increased or one of them may be omitted to'suit different casesor conditions. The sections 5 and 6 are united by a tubular coupling, as7, (see Fig. 8,) which is externally threaded its complete length andwhich is screwed into the counterbored and interiorly-threaded upper endof the lower section 5 of the staff or mast for about half its length,after, which an held rigidly by suitable meansas, for example, by thepin 8 passing through the respective parts. After thus seating thetubular couplingthe upper section 8, counterbored andinternally threadedat itslower end, is screwed onto the projecting portion of said couplingand until its lower end engages the upper end of its mate. When thusassembled, the

mast or staffcan be passed through a central hole in the top of theshelter-house 3, and in A itself it presents a thoroughly-rigidstructure. The pin 8 of course prevents the tubular coupling 7 fromturning when the section 6 is connected with said coupling. The tubularsections are smooth interiorly, and the coupling or thimble is likewisefinished, its inner surface merging into those of the sections 5 and 6,so as not to chafe or wear the halyard, that raises the ball, whichextends the entire length of the staff. It will be seen that saidcoupling 7 is made bell-mouthed at its opposite ends to secure therequisite inside surface.

As the mast above the house is subjected to high winds, 1 provide meansfor holding the same in an upright or perpendicular position. The saidstaff or mastjust above the shelterhouse 3 is embraced by the clamp 9,Fig. 6, which clamp has a plurality of arms, as 10, extendingequidistantly therefrom, and four of these arms are shown, they beingrigidly fastened by means of bolts, as 11, passing through the roof ofthe shelter-house. Other means are provided for aiding the clamp inholding the staff in the desired upright position, the same beinglocated in the shelterhouse. Said staff or mast has a base 12, Fig.

7, shown as a flange perforated to receive the hooks of stay devices, as13, four of such stay devices being shown as radiating from said baseand having clamps, as 14, at their outer ends embracing the fourcorner-posts of the shelter-house. The means described holds the staffor mast against vibration. The stays 13 each consists of two partsunited by a turnbuckle, as 15, and when the staffis mounted theseturnbuckles may be manipulated, so as to assure the absolute verticalpositioning of the same.

The shelter-house 3 is surmounted by a housing or casing for thetime-indicating ball, which is designated in a general Way by 16, andthis housing includes in its make-up a skeleton or open framing,preferably made of tubing or piping for lightness.

The framing just alluded to has cornerposts, as 17, placed inrectangular order and having circular feet, as 18, Fig. 6, resting onand suitably secured to the roof of the shelter-house. The said feethave couplings, as 19, provided with upwardlyand inwardly disposeddiagonal branches to receive the similarly-disposed tubular bracemembers 20, while the main portion of said couplings receives thevertical corner-posts of the housing 16. The tops of said corner-postsreceive the main portion or bodies ofcouplings, as 21,havingright-angularbranches to receive the crosspieces 22,while betweensuch bodies and rightangular branches of the couplings are downwardlyand inwardly extending branches to receive the correspondingly-disposedbrace members 23. The inner ends of the brace members 20 and 23 areconnected by the branches of the substantially X-shaped coupling 24,Fig. 2. Thebodies of the couplings 21 have other right-angular branchesor bosses -to receive the cross-pieces 25.

The tubes or brace members 20 and 23 and top cross-pieces 22 are locatedat the front and back of the housing 16, while the tubes or topcross-pieces 25 are located at the opposite sides of the housing, andsaid sides are strengthened by the diagonallydisposed struts or braces26, Fig. 4, running from the upper ends of the forward posts 17 to thebottoms of the rear posts 17, and such struts may have offsets, as 27,at their ends, riveted or otherwise fastened to said posts. The severalcouplings which unite the members of the framing may be connectedthereto in any convenient manner either by thread, braze, or driving-fitjoints.

The housing 16 has a roof, and in the present case the same consists ofthe swinging shutters 28 and 29, two of such shutters being shown, andthey turn upon the top pieces 25 of the housing-framework, said shuttershaving on their under sides suitable hinges, as 30, fastened in someconvenient manner thereto and shown as being of the strap type and ashaving eyes at their outer ends, through which the tubes 25 pass, thelatter thereby serving as pivots for the hinges.

The shutters 28 and 29 when down or closed are sustained by gables, as31, which are fastened in suitable manner to the framing of the housing16. Said gables are shown as provided on their inner sides with clips,as 32, Fig. 3, to embrace the cross-pieces 22 at the front and back ofthe housing, respectively.

The shutters 28 and 29 when closed, as shown in Fig. 2, are disposed atobtuse angles to each other, so as to shed water, and the inner edge ofone of them overlaps the other when shut, so as to provide a joint toexclude the elements.

The gables, which are preferably of sheet metal, as are also theshutters, have their upper sides converging toward the apexes thereof,and said shutters rest on these converging sides, and one of the sidesof the gable (herein ICO- shown as the right) is recessed, as at 33, to

receive the corresponding shutter 29, the inner edge of the latterfitting snugly against the inner wall of the recess. The companionshutter 28 has atits inner end the extension 34, Fig. 5, to lap over andwell beyond the inner edge of the shutter 29, so as to secure anabsolutely-tight and weather-proof joint.

The inner edges of the shutters have complemental part-circularapertures or notches, as 35, the Walls of which surround the staff ormast 4 when the shutters are closed or down. The shutters, therefore,present, in effect, a central opening, and when they are down it isnecessary to prevent the entrance of rain, sleet, or snow through suchopening, and as a means for accomplishing this result I provide theshutters upon their upper sides with sheet-gum or similar packingmaterial, as 36, Fig. 2, which surrounds said opening and hugs the staffabove the shutters, and thereby closes such central opening.

As a means for stiffening or strengthening the sheet-metal shutters theyare provided on their under sides with longitudinal and suitably-spacedribs, as 37, the upper ones of which, Fig. 5, conform to the shape ofthe inner edges of said shutters, and such ribs are angular or L-shapedin cross-section.

The ball is designated in a general way by 38 and normally is containedin the housing 16, the latter having a receiver, as 39, for said ball.Said receiver is shown as consisting of a cylinder surrounded by theframing of the housing and is preferably made of sheet metal. Thecylinder is fastened suitably at its bottom to the inner face of the webof an L-shaped foot 40,ofannularform,and which is supported by the roofof the shelter-house 3, Fig. 2. The cylinder 39 is split, as at 41, itsentire height, and the edges of the cylinder are brought into abutmentat this point, and the joint is covered by a metallic strip or plate, as42, bolted thereto, the heads of the bolts being inside the cylinder andbeing countersunk in its wall, so that the latter presents a smoothsurface. The annular foot 40 consists in the present case of threeparts, two main ones, as 43, which abut at or near the dividing-line 41and nearly half-circular, and a short or filling piece 44 diametricallyopposite said dividing-line 41.

By reason of the construction of the cylinder 39 and its base 40 thesame can be placed in position around the staff or mast 4 even after thelatter has been .set up, thereby avoiding the necessity of passing thestaff through the cylinder from above the same, as has heretofore beendone. To place said cylinder in position, the strip or plate 42 beingoff the same and the filling-segment being out of its position, thecylinder can be opened at the line 41 a distance slightly exceeding thediameter of the staff and pushed along the roof of the shelter-house,the staff passing through such opening, after which said cylinder can beclosed. The fillingpiece 44 being out, the cylinder can be readilyopened and bent along the back part, so as to be readily put in place,and when it is in position, with the staff extending centrally thereof,the opening at the front will be closed and the plate put on, afterwhich the fill ing-piece 44 will be inserted between the buttends of thesections 43 and then fastened. The cylinder may be held in placebysuitable fastenings to the roof of shelter-house, and cement or likesubstance, as 45, may be placed upon the roof of said shelter-house,which partially covers the clamp 9 (see Fig. 2) and extends to the wallof such cylinder. The upper side of this cement-bed,which constitutes,in effect, abottom for the cylinder, slopes outwardly and downwardlyfrom its center, so as to carry off any water which may be in saidcylinder and which is discharged therefrom by the pipe 46, passingthrough the same.

The gables 32, of course, protect the front and back of the housingagainst the admission of water or the like thereinto, the sides for alike purpose having the plates 47 fastened to the couplings 21 andextending below the upper edge of the cylinder 39.

To prevent the ball from possible injury when dropping from a pointabove the cylinder 39 into the same, the upper edge of said cylinderflares slightly outward or is rounded, as at 48, so that a sharp edge isavoided, which might be'struck by the ball and the latter therebydamaged. 7

The diameter of the cylinder 39 slightly exceeds that of the ball, soas-io provide a clearance-space between the two parts and naturallyavoid frictional resistance between the same during the descent-of theball. The air in the cylinder, however, when the ball enters the samecushions said ball to a considerable extent, and such air, as theballfalls well into the cylinder, escapes upward between such partsthrough the clearance-space, to which reference has been made.

The shutters 28 and 29 are opened or lifted, and in the present casethese operations are secured by independent means readily accessiblefrom the roof 2 of the main building upon which the apparatus is placed,so that it is unnecessary to climb to the top of the shelter-house 3, asis ordinarily the case, to actuate said shutters, this being a difiicultand dangerous undertaking during snowy, sleety, or windy weather.

The shutters 28 and 29 have upon their upper sides the arms 50, Fig. 2,extending outwardly and slightly upwardly therefrom andwhichcarryadjustable weights,as5l,intended tocounterpoise therespectiveshutters,soasto reduce as much as possible the power tooperate the same, said shutters being in practice quite heavy. To theouter ends of these arms or levers 5O ropes or cords,as 52,areconnected, the lower ends of said ropes or cords being at or near theroof 2,and said ropes or cords serve as a means for lifting or openingthe shutters. Attached to the opposite ends of the shutters are bridlesor checks, as 53,,conn ected also to brackets, as 54, upon the. outerfaces of the gables The bridles or checks are shown as consisting ofchains, one end of each engaging over a hook on the coacting bracket 54,and the opposite ends thereof are suitably connected to the ends of theshutters at about the middle thereof. Said checks or bridles serve toprevent the shutters from being opened too far, and they also take upthe shock as said shutters reach their wideopen positions, as shown inFig. 1. The bridles 53 are'automatic, for they assume looped positionswhen the shutters 28 and 29 are closed and are tightened when shuttersare opened without extraneous aid.

To the bridles 53 at the front of the apparatus are connected ropes orcords, as 55, which depend therefrom, and the lower free ends of whichare near the roof 2, such ropes being joined to the bridles at abouttheir iniddles.

In Fig. 1 the shutters 28 and 29 are shown IIF as open, they being thusheld and against closing by the wind-by winding the ropes'52 around thecleatsor projections 56 upon the sides of the shelter-house. To closethe shutters the ropes 52 will be freed from the cleats 56 and the ropes55 pulled down, and to prevent slamming of the shutters they may be heldback by the ropes 52. The ropes 55 may be wound upon cleats orprojections 57 upon the shelter-house 3. To open the shutters, it isnecessary simply to draw down the ropes 52.

fl he staff or mast has a sheave-head, as 58, at its upper end, theunder side of said block having a central tapped openingto receive theupper threaded end of said staff, and the head is surmounted by a hood59, these parts being shown as independent, andthe head is inclosed bythe hood and has a prolongation 60, Figs. 13 and 14c,.for holding thehood in place. This prolongation is shown as a stud passing through acentral perforation in the hood and is preferably made integral with thesheave-head, which is generally cast. The prolongation or stud above thehood is threaded to receive a nut. The hood consists, prefi erably, ofacasting, and it has a plurality of radial arms, as 61, Fig. 12, to theouter ends of which the stay-wires or cables 62 are connected, the lowerends of the stay-wires being held fast in some suitable manner andserving to steady the upper part of the apparatus. The radial arms 61are preferably made in one piece with the hood 59. The head 58 ispocketed in its opposite sides to receive the sheaves 65 and over whichsheaves the halyard 66 passes, the sheaves being surrounded by the lipor flange 67, Fig. 14, which causes the branches of the halyard toremain in the grooves of the respective sheaves and naturally preventfouling of the same or chafing. Hence friction is reduced.

A cord or like connection, as 68, is inclosed by the tubular or hollowmast at, it passing from the lower end of said mast and being governedby a suitable actuating and controlling appliance, as 69,in theshelter-house 3. This cord 68 has an eye, as 70, at its upper end,through which the halyard, substantially at the center of its length,passes. The halyard is then doubled on itself in the tubular staff, andits branches extend upward over the respective sheaves and then downwardand are connected at their lower extremities to the ball 38.

Suitable mechanism, constituting a part of the controlling device6.9,will be thrown into action for drawing down the cord 68, whichresults in the elevation of the ball 38, and when the same is at thedesired height such mechanism will be stopped. At the desired moment theball will be released and will drop by its own weight into its cylinder39. I have not shown in detail the mechanism for securing the ascent anddescent of the ball, having simply indicated the same by itsconventional illustration in Fig. 1. This mechanism may be of anysuitable kind, it being erably employed to unite the parts.

preferably electrically operated to secure q cka t n- The cord before itenters the casing of the controlling device 69 passes over theguideroller 70.

One of the arms 61 of the hood carries a block, as 71, provided with arope 72, permanently secured thereto, and by which rope workmen mayreach the top of the mast at any time should this be necessary.

The ball 38 is shown in detail in Fig. 10, and it is of skeleton form,it being generally covered with canvas 73, exteriorly painted, and itsbody is denoted by 74: and consists of a tube adapted to embrace andslide upon the staff 4. The tube 74 is surrounded at its top, bottom,and middle by rings, as 75, snitablyfixed in place. The upper and lowerrings 75 have circumferential flanges, as 75, slightly curved inward andto which the approximately semicircular ribs or staves 76 are fastened,screws 77, Fig. 11, being pref- The extreme ends of these ribs areoffset, as at 77, the offsets being laid against the ends of the upperand lower rings 75 and being encircled by the narrow bands 78, whichbands alsogrip the canvas covering 73, so as to hold the latter on, itbeing understood that the upper and lower edges of such covering arebetween the respective offsets and bands. The ball inclose s thesuperposed flat bands 79, suitably fastened thereto and three beingshown, the middle one being on a line with the middle ring 75. Saidmiddle ring has a circumferential flange 80, to which the angular braces81 are riveted, the outer ends of the braces being, split, and thebranches of such split ends are riveted to the inner face of the middleband 79. The angular braces 2 are likewise attached to the said flange80 of the middle ring and extend angularly upwardly and downwardly andoutwardly to the upper and lower bands 79, the several bands being sodisposed as to equally strengthen the ball throughout its entire area.

ICC

The ball 38 should be held against rotation on its staff, as in case itdoes turn the hoisting-halyard 66 is likely to be twisted, and toprevent this rotation the staff or mast t has a feather or spline, as84, extending along the same for a distance equaling the travel of theball 39, and this feather is attached, preferably, by screws, as 85, tothe mast, the heads of the screws being countersunk in the feather, Fig.9, so as to avoid protuberances upon the outer face thereof. Thisfeather enters a slot 85 in the tube 74, the fit being a very free oneand the slot extending the entire length of the tube, so that the ballcan have a very rapid and free descent upon its staff, but is preventedpositively from turning thereon. The rings 75 have also offset portions86 to receive the feather.

The ball by reason of the construction set forth is of sufficientstability to prevent collapsing thereof when it strikes the bottom ofthe cylinder 39 or when it cushions upon the air confined in saidcylinder.

The operation of the apparatus will be at once obvious from a reading ofthe foregoing" A few minutes before a given time the shutters 28 and 29are opened by pulling down the ropes 52, and the ball 38 is then liftedto the top of its staff i and there held until automatically released,when it instantly drops into its cylinder, after which the shutters areclosed by pulling on the ropes 55.

Having described the invention, what I claim is 1. In an apparatus ofthe class described, a ball including a tube having rings atits ends andan intermediate ring all of the rings being flanged, a plurality ofcircular ribs the ends of which lie against the flanges of the endrings, means on the end rings for holding said ends, a plurality ofsuperposed bands against the inner faces of the ribs, and bracesconnected with the flange of the intermediate ring and also with thebands.

2. In an apparatusof the class described, a ball including a tube havingrings atits ends and an intermediate ring all of the rings beingflanged, a plurality of part-circular ribs the ends of which lie againstthe flanges of the end rings, bands encircling the ends of said ribs, aplurality of superposed rings fastened to the inner faces of the ribs,and braces connected with the flanges of the intermediate ring and alsowith said superposed bands.

In an apparatus of the class described, a ball including a tube havingrings at its ends and an intermediate ring all of the rings beingflanged, a plurality of part-circular ribs the ends of which lie againstthe flanges of the end rings, bands encircling the ends of said ribs, aplurality of superposed rings fastoned to the inner faces of the ribs,braces connected with the flange of the intermediate ring and also withsaid superposed bands, and acovering for the ribs held in place by saidfirst-mentioned bands.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a staff having a sheave-headand a hood for the sheave-head separate therefrom and the sheave-headhaving a prolongation to pass through a hole in the hood, and said hoodhaving arms to which stays or guys may be connected.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a staff having a sheave-headand a hood for the sheave-head separate therefrom and the sheave-headhaving a threaded stud passing through a hole in the hood, and a nut onthe threaded portion of the stud.

G. In an apparatus of the class described, a housing for a time-ballhaving a skeleton frame and shutters for the housing provided withhinges having eyes to receive certain,

members of the frame which constitute pivots therefor, and the shuttershaving complemental recesses at their inner edges.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a housing for a ti inc-ballhaving tubular corner-posts provided with couplings,brace membersconnected with said couplings, an X- shaped coupling uniting said bracemembers, other braces connected with the corner-posts, cross-pieces atthe top of the housing, couplings at the upper ends of the corner-poststo which said cross-pieces are connected, and shutters swinging oncertain of the crosspieces and having complemental recesses at theirinner edges.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a housing for a time-ball,having a cylinder provided with a base-piece, the cylinder be ing splitor divided its Wholeheight and the base-piece consisting of a pluralityof parts, and a strip covering the dividing-line of the cylinder.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a housing for a time-ball,having a cylinder provided with an annular base-piece the cylinder beingsplit or divided its Whole height and the base-piece consisting of aplurality of pieces one of which is shorter than the others and islocated at a point diametrically opposite the split or dividing-line inthe cylinder.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, a shelter-house, a housingfor a time-ball, above the shelter-house, a staff for said timeballprojecting through the housing and down into the shelter-house, a clampfor the staff in the housing, and means in the shelterhouse forassisting the clamp in maintaining the staff in an upright position.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, a shelter-house, a housingfor a time-ball, above the shelter-house, a staff for said timeballprojecting through the housing and down into the shelter-house, a clampfor the staff, in the housing, and means in the shelter-house forassisting the clamp in maintaining the staff in an upright position, andincluding a plurality of rods connected with said shelterhouse said rodsconsisting of sections united by turnbuckles.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

ALBERT L. VVOODWORTH.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. REA, HEATH SUTHERLAND.

